Bihar could get a new chief minister and a new government after April 13, says JDU working president Sanjay Jha. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had resigned from the MLC post on March 30, following which he was sworn in as an MP recently. Speaking to reporters in Patna after his meeting with Kumar at the Prime Minister’s residence, Jha said he “believes” that the process of formalizing a new government “will begin” after April 13.
After Kumar was sworn in as a Member of Parliament two days ago, anticipation remains over who could become the next Prime Minister. According to a PTI report, the BJP could head the new government.
“I think it will be rolled out after April 13. But you will have to talk to those in the state government to get more details,” Jha said.
Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary was also at the Prime Minister’s residence and is seen as the top contender for the post. Alongside him, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a senior JDU leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, went to meet Kumar at his residence on Sunday.
Read also | Nitish Kumar takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP; The decision on the next Bihar CM is pending
Chaudhary also had a short interaction with reporters, where he said, “The new chief minister will be elected by the NDA legislators on the recommendation of the BJP.”
“The BJP has an important role to play (in forming a new government). It has its own process in these matters. Once it comes forward with its plan, the necessary things will follow,” he added.
On Saturday, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who now serves in the TMC after decades of working for the BJP, made a sarcastic criticism of the culture of the saffron party’s high command.
“Bihar should be wary of some ‘Baba’ arriving with ‘Parchi,'” he said, referring to instances in several BJP-ruled states where the chief minister’s post reportedly went to less expected candidates after envoys arrived from Delhi with names decided by the central leadership.
